Re: Re: OT "Star Trek" argument

[Marlon Richmond <MarlonRichmond@xxxxxxx>]

danspector@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

>
> First of all, the argument that "The Dull Generation" is superior
> because it ran longer is silly. Is "JAG" better than "Buffy", then?
> Was "My Three Sons" better than "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"?

I know nothing of My 3 sons or mary tyler moore show, cant answer that,
but Star Trek was from an era where nbc couldn't get advertisers even
though the show drew an youthful demographic

>
> Besides, "Star Trek" spawned a fandom that kept the show alive for
> decades, gave a reason to launch a spinoff 20 years after the original
>
> series, and had sufficient interest for six movies, as opposed to two
> for Baldy and Beardy. (Split the blame, er "credit", on
> "Generations".)
>

I give generations 90% to TNG, plus they have another movie coming out,
so that makes 6.1-3.9

>
> "De-Generation" drove me out of the "Trek" fandom by
>
>
> 2) that godawful five-act structure, which not only ensures that
> anytime
> the slightest thing starts to happen we immediately hit a commercial,
> but led Paramount to put an extra ad break in reruns of "Star Trek",
> in
> places where it wasn't meant to be. Trimming scenes for ads is awful;
>
> putting ads in the wrong places is almost as bad.
>

heh, in syndication they need the extra advertisements, and yes
paramount choped up tos, but thats all because UPN had yet to exist to
put tng on a broadcast network

>
> 3) Endless plot twists to avoid any sort of action, because Gene
> thought
> he was above it now.
>

So, 'earshot' and 'hells bells' had endless plot twists, i dont see the
problem

>
> 4) Episode after episode that ends with a "giant re-set button", just
> to
> be sure that nothing can change.

Thats what i hate about voyager(not to mention Tuvok, Janeway and
Chacotey), but 'the wish' as well as the Angel episode 'I will remember
you' had reset buttons. And changes with the Klingons, Wesley Crusher
and other events led to continuity but not to the extent of a soap
opera. (btw, every episode of greg the bunny has basically a reset
button)

> 4a) The ugliest word in the English language: "holodeck". The place
>
> where episodes get utterly wasted just so Patrick Stewart can wear a
> hat, and where characters learn absolutely nothing (not even, in David
>
> Hines's wonderful words, to stay the hell away from the constantly
> malfunctioning and seriously dangerous holodeck).
>

The holodeck is fun, and was only overused on voyager in their dull
scenarios. All the good ones were used on tng

>
> As for "more fun characters", well I certainly enjoyed having an
> all-knowing but shallow sage to explain stuff. If Deanna doesn't
> thrill
> you, wait until you see Guinan.
>

Troi was only annoying in the first season. Druscilla still was worse
than even first season troi with here spasms and crazy visions. Guinan
was actually a calming reasurring presance on the show, a decent role
for Whoopi Goldberg.

>
> As to the replacement of Spock, who fights a constant battle to
> determine the proper role of emotions in life, with Data, a
> one-dimensional android who occasionally flips his "emotion chip" so
> Brent Spiner can get to act, the less said the better.
>

Data is a lovable android, just as spock is the lovable vulcan, both far
supperior to Tuvok. Plus he can use reasonablility to deal with
situations, even comand a ship. He sure aint no buffybot.

>
> Oh, and, much as I'd like to forget, kids, kids, kids! Gag, gag, gag!
>
>

the show has 26 episodes, and they have to have some that appeal to
differnt audiences. It is not a serial show that can continue just a
couple long range story arc. Children exist on a star ship, therefor
they deserve a few episodes.

>
> Sorry, sore spot. (And there were some good eps.)
>

Also, the character Q, Riker, Worf, Picard, Barclay, Ro Errin were
interesting characters. And they weren't annoying like McCoy, or spoke
in bad english like checkov, or used poor looking technology like the
ship had. And yes, the borg were stupid, but then voyager spent alot of
time dealing with them instead.

Marlon "I enjoy 'Gilmore Gils'" Richmond